What is your one wish for the racquet industry going forward?

mmazzinin1

Semi-Pro
My hope is to keep developing in the direction of what Prince did with their Tour racquets. Stable, but maneuverable. Control oriented and flexy, but powerful and spinny. Close further the gap between comfy control oriented flexy frames and spin-friendly & powerful tweeners.
 

tjanev

Rookie
Offer pro racquets in retail store. Doesn't have to be the latest mold, but 1 gen previous would be nice. To me, a big seller would be any players pro stock with their name on it and racquet comes with the info on how to customize it exactly how the player has it. Even include the strings with the package,but not strung up. Charge 500-600 per racquet and you still wouldn't keep them on the shelf fast enough.
 

gioca

New User
Since platform racquet is all the craze, it would be great to have more local customizers to help with tinkering.
In the US, any stringer certified by USRSA should know how to customize a racquet. I assume similar services exist in other countries. But I'd like to see a more hands-on approach, where you go to a facility, they watch you hit, take a bunch of measurements, then make tweaks to the racquet. Perhaps if you buy racquets from them, you get customization for a reasonable upcharge.

The bigger issue is that the vast majority of rec players don't need a customized racquet. They (we) need to hit the ball properly. If a player is all arm, their customization service would optimize for arming the ball.
 

TW Staff

Administrator
On demand grommets for obsolete racquets. With 3D printers racquet companies could easily do this, but then they would sell fewer new racquets...
Unfortunately 3D printing is not the right kind of plastic and grommets are made with an injection molded process which is expensive. Butt caps and handle pallets can be made with 3D printing, but the kind of plastic needed for grommets is injection molded. I had inquired about this a few years ago because I thought 3D printing would be a great solution for obsolete grommets, but unfortunately it's not the case.
Cheers, Chris, TW
 

badmice1

New User
In the US, any stringer certified by USRSA should know how to customize a racquet. I assume similar services exist in other countries. But I'd like to see a more hands-on approach, where you go to a facility, they watch you hit, take a bunch of measurements, then make tweaks to the racquet. Perhaps if you buy racquets from them, you get customization for a reasonable upcharge.

The bigger issue is that the vast majority of rec players don't need a customized racquet. They (we) need to hit the ball properly. If a player is all arm, their customization service would optimize for arming the ball.
Exactly what I was referring to, similar to this

 

gino

Legend
Unfortunately 3D printing is not the right kind of plastic and grommets are made with an injection molded process which is expensive. Butt caps and handle pallets can be made with 3D printing, but the kind of plastic needed for grommets is injection molded. I had inquired about this a few years ago because I thought 3D printing would be a great solution for obsolete grommets, but unfortunately it's not the case.
Cheers, Chris, TW

Thanks for chiming in Chris, great info & makes sense. I think a lot of us that love classic rackets would love some solution to make those old sticks still playable. Maybe one day the various manufacturers would just concede and start using the old injection molded tooling for popular legacy frames (prestiges, radicals, 6.1s, 6.0s, etc)
 

Boredsurfer

Semi-Pro
Unfortunately 3D printing is not the right kind of plastic and grommets are made with an injection molded process which is expensive. Butt caps and handle pallets can be made with 3D printing, but the kind of plastic needed for grommets is injection molded. I had inquired about this a few years ago because I thought 3D printing would be a great solution for obsolete grommets, but unfortunately it's not the case.
Cheers, Chris, TW
This tracks.... thanks for the intel Chris. BUT... how bout TW requesting a run of 100 grommets of each manufacturer's top 10 selling racquets before 2005. I bet they fly ogff the shelves. OR better yet, ship all new racquets with 3 sets. I mean they are $250 plus each now....
 

Boredsurfer

Semi-Pro
More grip sizes! L2 , L2.5 , L3, L3.5 would be amazing! Each brand has their unique grip shapes and I always find myself wanting something in between depending on the brand. Tecnifibre grips always feel half size too small, Babolat feels half size too big.
See if they had replaceable pallets you could add 1, 4 and 5's and 6's and companies could keep production higher in 2 and 3.... win win win.
 

tjanev

Rookie
Having two 3d printers and having tried many materials for various projects, I agree. Will never get a printout as strong as injection molded. Even a pallet would be questionable although I do want to attempt extending my old Dunlop Max impact plus by half inch. I'll have to figure out a way to strengthen the printout at the butt end which will stick out by half inch.
 

Mten

New User
I felt the same as a lot of people on here thinking we could use a good players OS frames. So I decided to develop my own! It's been in development for about 2 years with a very small commercial batch arriving in the next few weeks.

I was just sick of the big name brands not really experimenting so thought I'd have a go...

It's 115" headsize, thin beam and 20x21 string pattern to keep the string spacing in line with current models

gridart_20240222_113414671.webp
 

Fed Kennedy

Legend
I felt the same as a lot of people on here thinking we could use a good players OS frames. So I decided to develop my own! It's been in development for about 2 years with a very small commercial batch arriving in the next few weeks.

I was just sick of the big name brands not really experimenting so thought I'd have a go...

It's 115" headsize, thin beam and 20x21 string pattern to keep the string spacing in line with current models

gridart_20240222_113414671.webp
Big Boy Club!
 

TennisHound

Legend
Probably cheaper prices. All the racquets are really good right now.

I would like:
Prince 93P 16x19
Thicker frames on PD98 and PA98, Extreme Pro (Literally 98" PD and PA, Extreme MP 98), Lite versions of these
Black edition Head Extremes
Head Speed 98
Head XT Speed Rev Pro 300g and 305g
 
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BumElbow

Professional
Wishes: Keep making 4 5/8" grip size racquets. More conventional weight & balance oversize racquets. Make more racquets with a 60 RA or less. Post different recommended string tensions on racquets for polyester and non-polyester strings.
 

BumElbow

Professional
I felt the same as a lot of people on here thinking we could use a good players OS frames. So I decided to develop my own! It's been in development for about 2 years with a very small commercial batch arriving in the next few weeks.

I was just sick of the big name brands not really experimenting so thought I'd have a go...

It's 115" headsize, thin beam and 20x21 string pattern to keep the string spacing in line with current models

gridart_20240222_113414671.webp

I've been playing with a Prince Vortex 310 grams with a 14x21 string pattern. The 21 crosses are great for hitting slice!
 

BumElbow

Professional
They're already doing this...too the extreme actually.

The best selling racquets - Babolat Pure Drive and Pure Aero - are very stiff. The Clash has flex but lacks control and touch. I think the technology in flexible racquets needs increased improvement.
 
I seem to remember that back in the early to mid 90, using Head racquets as an example, it you wanted an offensive frame, you went the Prestige Mid, which used to feel like it flexed in the shafts with a firm string bed for control, if you were on the baseline you went the ProTour which felt like it had some tip flex (and good Dwell Time), and if you want a constant even flex feel you sent the Radical. a more horses for courses approach & a little variance on head sizes.

Now we have more models in one silo than head used to have different models in their whole range of player/competition racquets.....

To me the question is, does all the variety put there now actually benefit us as players, or the marketing departments/profits? Granted lighter stiffer frames have allowed more people to enjoy playing, but where does it end? does we need 7 variations on a Pure strike? We are forever seeing on here about people using heaps of lead take etc to get what they want, (just look at all the buzz around Andy Murray using a EZone 100), where effectively might not a EZone98 Tour have been a better starting point? (I'm playing devil's advocate here). It really seems the marketing people have us all fixated on a player/paintjob, and we loose sight of what we are really looking for, a tennis racquet that lets up play the game we enjoy the best we can, no matter who makes it of what it looks like.

I mentioned above about Oversize player frames, etc. and that because I used to use them they did the job, and that was it, I'm a self confessed racquet geek, and tech junky. But when is it just all too much. We have all these radicals now, and the are all different variations out of the same mold. Could we not half that number and do an oversize again? Extended racquets, same thing.

We all have stuff we want to see, but how many of us are actually asking for stuff we had in the past that we used, loved, and just can not longer get, because the marketing and R&D teams out there say this this years wonder-toy eclipses everything before it, weather we want it or not. I all for progress, but like others have said, why have we continued to change just for the sake of change. I love trying new stuff, but i just keep looking to try and find what is already had, and just cant find again.

I will crawl back in my hole now ...lolololol
 

esm

Legend
The best selling racquets - Babolat Pure Drive and Pure Aero - are very stiff. The Clash has flex but lacks control and touch. I think the technology in flexible racquets needs increased improvement.
Depends on the string type. Most people says they are stiff because they are probably using stiff poly string setup they shouldn’t be using. lol.
 

BLACKOUT

Rookie
The best selling racquets - Babolat Pure Drive and Pure Aero - are very stiff. The Clash has flex but lacks control and touch. I think the technology in flexible racquets needs increased improvement.
Every “player” stick is super flexible now. Babolat pretty much reduced the flex on most of their frames. Ditto for Yonex
 

eric42

Semi-Pro
Bring the swing weights back up again. I’m so tired of these 315-318 stock SWs that end up being 310 after QC issues.
Honest question - lead tape is the easiest thing in the world to apply, why not just do some bare minimum simple customizing rather than hope the racquet companies have perfect QC and can produce frames to the exact specs of your liking? It's good that many come underspec - then you have headroom to customize. I have some Prestige pro stocks that were 255 SW raw unstrung. That is unplayable and they are intended to have customized weight added as needed.
 

BumElbow

Professional
Honest question - lead tape is the easiest thing in the world to apply, why not just do some bare minimum simple customizing rather than hope the racquet companies have perfect QC and can produce frames to the exact specs of your liking? It's good that many come underspec - then you have headroom to customize. I have some Prestige pro stocks that were 255 SW raw unstrung. That is unplayable and they are intended to have customized weight added as needed.
Lead tape is easy to apply but it's not so easy to get the balance right when you're tinkering with it. I prefer playing with stock racquets. The manufacturers are the experts.
 

Remioli

Rookie
Honest question - lead tape is the easiest thing in the world to apply, why not just do some bare minimum simple customizing rather than hope the racquet companies have perfect QC and can produce frames to the exact specs of your liking? It's good that many come underspec - then you have headroom to customize. I have some Prestige pro stocks that were 255 SW raw unstrung. That is unplayable and they are intended to have customized weight added as needed.
This is what I don’t get about the heavy racket gang. Just grab a 11.5 ounce racket and add a few strips of tape to the hoop and maybe some under the grip. It makes me think it’s more that they need other people to know they’re using a heavy racket.
 

BumElbow

Professional
Depends on the string type. Most people says they are stiff because they are probably using stiff poly string setup they shouldn’t be using. lol.
I've bought stiff racquets and strung them with multifilament strings. And, the too stiff racquet will still result in a sore wrist and, later on, elbow pain as well. It's more than the strings - it's the racquets. Don't get me wrong, the stiff racquets play great except, well, if you play with them then you increase your chances of arm problems. And, if you're injured then you can't play. Yes, to some extent, RA ratings are coming down but the best selling racquets are still very stiff - too stiff for me at least.
 
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This is what I don’t get about the heavy racket gang. Just grab a 11.5 ounce racket and add a few strips of tape to the hoop and maybe some under the grip. It makes me think it’s more that they need other people to know they’re using a heavy racket.
Lead tape or weight is not that same as extra graphite though, the layup is not like for like. No one would confuse an old Pro Staff 97 for an RF97, Vcore Pro/Percept 97 for 330 or 97H, or TF40 305 for a 315

Those pro stocks probably have the layup of heavier static weight spec fames, just need the weight where you want it to make them playable like the H22/H19

With the TF40s, they specifically said they have a section of the layup cut more rather and in one piece, so it plays a touch softer, better for one-handers and all-courters in my opinion
Lead tape is easy to apply but it's not so easy to get the balance right when you're tinkering with it. I prefer playing with stock racquets. The manufacturers are the experts.
What has your experience been so far? How much have you experimented? Maybe you should try something less dense? Electrical or finishing style pyc tape might be good. Helps with comfort better than lead too

Yes you also need to look at vibration frequency of the frame from your other post. That isn't everything but another important clue. Not everyone gets the ball in the centre all the time, so yeah multi strings aren't always the end solution

All else fails, try D3O foam tape in the handle, or memory foam
The best selling racquets - Babolat Pure Drive and Pure Aero - are very stiff. The Clash has flex but lacks control and touch. I think the technology in flexible racquets needs increased improvement.
The Prince Tour range with ATS gets pretty close to what you're looking for, another stiffer alt is the Beast range, ATS works
 
Having two 3d printers and having tried many materials for various projects, I agree. Will never get a printout as strong as injection molded. Even a pallet would be questionable although I do want to attempt extending my old Dunlop Max impact plus by half inch. I'll have to figure out a way to strengthen the printout at the butt end which will stick out by half inch.
There was a thread or two about 3D printed grommets a couple years ago, and I had asked the same, I had thought the problem was they were too stiff and not flexible enough to fit. Or that they cracked, not that they weren't strong enough

Aren't there fibre-reinforced 3D printed parts out there?

Have always wondered if people could try heating the piece slowly or leaving it out on a wooden table on a hot day? Or since many times it's the bumperguard people are looking for, to avoid further damage, try molding the strips in 2 or 3 sections instead of 1? Better than no protection
 

Remioli

Rookie
No one would confuse an old Pro Staff 97 for an RF97, Vcore Pro/Percept 97 for 330 or 97H, or TF40 305 for a 315
I’ve actually wondered if this is true. Would love to see a true double blind test with blacked out frames. One racket that is stock at 12 ounces and one that has tape added on to match it. I think a lot of people would not know. Or some would feel that they are different rackets, but be indifferent on which is better.
 
Maybe some might not be able to tell much difference, or feel that the heavier model is better. But plenty of people tried to match the PS97 to the RF and it didn't quite pass. I can't comment personally, I didn't give the PS97 much consideration, at least in until the string spacing change, and I still wasn't really impressed.

People also tried with the Vcore Pro 97 310 and the 330. I tried the Percept 97 310 and 330g 97H, there is clearly a bit more weight built into the shaft of the 330g model, likely extra carbon fibre. No way to replicate that with lead. The amount is probably minute, but you likely don't need much to get a difference in playability on court. I'm assuming the 310g version I demoed was on spec, I weighed it and it looked right, Yonex has specific demo models sent sometimes, but not all of the ones I tried were, can't remember which

The TF40 is a clear example where a company deliberately made a similar heavier model, with a slight performance difference that they didn't advertise well admittedly. And did cause some confusion

Have heard the 300g Ezone 98 and similar 310g Ezone Tour are the same. Flexes slightly differently, no way to replicate that

A racquet flexes and returns energy on impact, the light carbon fibre is responsible for that strength and power. It's what works with the strings holding that tension. Try hitting a tennis ball with your bare hands and see how far you get it, or how much it hurts. (I don't actually recommend this, or at least not at full strength. You'll be surprised.) Racquets wear out over time with many restrings and hitting, lead tape cannot correct that either. You need the layup of that carbon fibre
 
Have heard the 300g Ezone 98 and similar 310g Ezone Tour are the same. Flexes slightly differently, no way to replicate that
These two racquets use a slightly different mold, it's not just weight and material differences. But the current Ezone & Ezone tour are probably the closest example. B up t the previous generation of VCore Pro's all used the same mold for the 97, 97h and 97l so that would make for a interesting blind test
 

eric42

Semi-Pro
Lead tape or weight is not that same as extra graphite though, the layup is not like for like.
Definitely not. If you have a racquet with a wobbly noodle of a hoop, slapping lead on will not turn it into a brickhouse stable beast. Lead of course is good for adding some plow power or matching the weight/balance/SW feel of multiple frames. My comment was directed more at those who are apparently very obsessive and sensitive to specs, and who complain about racquets coming in under spec, but yet seem unwilling to do something so simple to correct it.
 

socallefty

G.O.A.T.
I want more flexxxy Babolat 95's.
Do you mostly do hitting and/or teaching? I used to play with Storms/Controls, but don’t think I would win as many singles matches with them as I do with the Pure Strike Tour. But I would probably enjoy the older racquets if I were just hitting just like I enjoyed doing drills with the Strike VS, but didn’t trust it for singles matches.
 

Casey 1988

Semi-Pro
Since platform racquet is all the craze, it would be great to have more local customizers to help with tinkering.
Or at least a video people can watch on how to do basic fine tuning on some models that frequently come way off spec having a code people use on packaging or in specs on racquet.
 
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Casey 1988

Semi-Pro
See if they had replaceable pallets you could add 1, 4 and 5's and 6's and companies could keep production higher in 2 and 3.... win win win.
On that end replaceable handles that would only fit own brands so brands can have more handle shapes and sizes for a player.
You can already add bits of wood already to handle for grip size if you remove stock grip.
 

AndrewUtz

Semi-Pro
On that end replaceable handles that would only fit own brands so brands can have more handle shapes and sizes for a player.
You can already add bits of wood already to handle for grip size if you remove stock grip.
wait, end options that’s give the player more customization options?
 

Casey 1988

Semi-Pro
wait, end options that’s give the player more customization options?
Yep, could even have Extended 27.5/28 inch and 26 inch overall length handles for players as I do not think a 25 inch handle option would work, too short for a normally 27 inch racquet. Of course, brands would want handles only fitting own brand, I totally understand why.
 

AndrewUtz

Semi-Pro
Yep, could even have Extended 27.5/28 inch and 26 inch overall length handles for players as I do not think a 25 inch handle option would work, too short for a normally 27 inch racquet. Of course, brands would want handles only fitting own brand, I totally understand why.
oh i thought you were saying to give less options.
 
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